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Daily Edition: Vol. VIII, No. 35 - San José, Costa Rica, September 19, 2002

C.R. Foreign Minister Tovar Addresses UN
Representing Costa Rica before the rest of the world, Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar addressed the 57th General Assembly of the United Nations Wednesday afternoon, appealing for sustainable democracy, the elimination of government subsidies, anti-corruption measures and ratification of the International Criminal Court and the Protocol against Torture.
(Click for more)

Female Soccer Players Find Friend in President Pacheco
Honoring the enormous success of Costa Rica's National Female Soccer Team in the recent Central American Fútbol Tournament in El Salvador - where the Ticas managed to score 16 goals while allowing only one against them - President Abel Pacheco yesterday hosted the players for lunch in the Casa Presidencial, and vowed more support for the women's soccer program.
(Click for more)

Costa Rica Exemplifies Success in UN Investment Report
Costa Rica is one of six countries exemplified as a success story in this year's United Nations Investment Report, which was released worldwide Tuesday.
(Click for more)

September 19

Opening of the Café La Bohemia
Melico Salazar Theater is glad to announce the opening of its café. At 7:30 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater, Av. 2, Ca. Ctrl.-2, San José. Info: 233-5172.
Costa Rican Trova Concert
María Pretiz, one of the best Costa Rican singers, will delight her audience with her original songs. At 10 p.m., at Jazz Café, across from Banco Popular, San Pedro. Info: 253-8933.
Talk on Costa Rican Film Scripts
Screen writer María Lourdes Cortés is analizing Costa Rican scripts tonight. At 7 p.m., at the Spanish Cultural Center, Av.13, Ca. 31, Los Yoses. Info: 383-3920.

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C.R. Foreign Minister Tovar Addresses UN

Representing Costa Rica before the rest of the world, Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar addressed the 57th General Assembly of the United Nations Wednesday afternoon, appealing for sustainable democracy, the elimination of government subsidies, anti-corruption measures and ratification of the International Criminal Court and the Protocol against Torture.

"We cannot stand in the middle of the road in our fight to make the world better," Tovar said. "…The UN cannot leave as second priority the creation of economic and social conditions that help to consolidate and preserve democratic institutions around the world."

The Minister spoke of the opportunities provided by globalization, but warned that the risks posed by "structural obstacles, inequalities of wealth and the lack of capital investment could cause economic collapse in entire regions.

"Subsidies, restrictions on access to international markets and capital flight undermine free-competition," Tovar stressed. "Globalization could increase the gap between the rich and the poor."

To avoid this situation, he added, governments need to make greater efforts to protect the people and the nations that are most vulnerable.

"The UN has the obligation to ask developed nations to open its markets and eliminate subsidies so that developing nations can benefit from globalization," he told the General Assembly.

Noting that government corruption, in all forms, is an offense to human rights, Tovar urged UN representatives to take a tougher stance on corruption.

"It is scandalous to see how some governments divert public funds into private bank accounts, while the people suffer in poverty," he said, adding that some the UN countries present are on that list of guilty governments.

Tovar also expressed Costa Rica's satisfaction with the recent formation of the International Criminal Court: "Finally we have an independent and impartial judicial mechanism to judge the worst crimes to human dignity."

However, he lamented the fact that only 12 countries have accepted - without condition - the jurisdiction of the Court, stressing that failure to do so is "closing the door on justice and putting international law and integrity in danger."

"What alternative are nations left with if they do not have an [International Criminal Court] to resolve peacefully our differences?" he demanded. "Only force. So it is indispensable that all members of the UN accept the jurisdiction of the criminal court, because only by doing so will we be able to create a world that is more just, peaceful and safe."

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Female Soccer Players Find Friend in President Pacheco

Honoring the enormous success of Costa Rica's National Female Soccer Team in the recent Central American Fútbol Tournament in El Salvador - where the Ticas managed to score 16 goals while allowing only one against them - President Abel Pacheco yesterday hosted the players for lunch in the Casa Presidencial, and vowed more support for the women's soccer program.

The President encouraged more female participation in soccer, and promised to lobby for the women's teams to have more access to national stadiums, which are usually restricted to men's teams.

"These girls are playing on open fields, so we are going to see if can get female soccer matches into the country's stadiums," Pacheco said, adding that he would ask Delia Villalobos, Minister of Sports and Recreation, for her help in the matter.

Pacheco stressed that sports are important to the development of young people, and keep them out of trouble.

"When I was growing up, I never imagined a woman playing soccer," the 68-year-old President said. "But today we have great [female] boxers and soccer players. It makes me happy to see you [women] looking lively, strong, self-confident, pretty, intelligent, nice, and showing everyone that you can play soccer."

Speaking on behalf of the women's team, Gabriela Trujillo thanked the President for his gesture and said she hoped it would spark more interest in the team.

"We did well in the Central American tournament, but we are going to try twice as hard in the Copa de Oro Tournament next month in Canada," she stressed. "We will continue to act as ambassadors of the sport."

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Costa Rica Exemplifies Success in UN Investment Report

Costa Rica is one of six countries exemplified as a success story in this year's United Nations Investment Report, which was released worldwide Tuesday.

The report points to the country's dramatic 15-year increase in exports, foreign investment and diversification of exports as indicators that the economy is on the right path.

Read all the details in tomorrow's TT print edition.

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